


Human in the Monster

by terminalDiscord



Category: The Binding of Isaac (Video Game)
Genre: Curiosity, Gen, Literally just Isaac being observant as fuck, Monsters have feelings too, Sympathy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-30
Updated: 2015-05-30
Packaged: 2018-04-01 20:03:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4032832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/terminalDiscord/pseuds/terminalDiscord
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You are Isaac, and you need to get away from your Mother.</p>
<p>You don't know where the Exit is, if there even is one. You don't know how to survive, that is, if you can. You need to fight these monsters, they're in your way of escaping this scary basement (you didn't know you had one to begin with!), they're cold, dead, and unforgiving. They hate you, you hate them, it's always been like that. There was no point to hold back from killing them. They're ruthless, face either covered with blood, or hate.</p>
<p>But you start to notice things. </p>
<p>Before the fight begins, they some other emotion on their face. Melancholy? Grief? Mourning? You try to look into it, but their face immediately shifts into their usual state of contempt.</p>
<p>That doesn't mean you're not going to try to solve this mystery.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Human in the Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now now, dear. Settle down and stop your crying, when the going gets rough, or when your life looks bleak, always appreciate a Smile from anyone. Even if they're trying to kill you.

My name is Isaac, and I'm facing a _really_ scary monster. This time, it was one of those grinning people again.

It's not that the other monsters were scary, really, they were. Most of the time they're pretty easy to deal with, it's just the fact that they weren't... really nice to look at.

Mom always told me that judging people by their looks is wrong, but I'm pretty sure that even my friends would agree that they were pretty gross to look at. Besides, I'm not sure if I trust Mom's judgement anymore? I don't think I did anything bad to make her angry... Maybe it's because I said that what she watched was weird? (There were people with wings in there, and a _lot_ of talking.)

Yup, it's probably that. 

Back to the subject, those monsters really _were_ ugly.

There were a lot of people walking around with that same weird smile at their face (maybe they found their teddy bear?), and ketchup dripping from their eyes. How'd they even get ketchup on their cheeks? Mom said that if there was a spot on someone's face, you have to tell them or wipe it off for them. Just to be nice.

The first time I saw this, I tried to tell them that they had ketchup on their face, but they didn't seem to hear what I said. They just turned to me and smiled, I'd like to say that I smiled back at them, but that would be lying. I was confused, and tried to solve the problem.

Maybe they can't hear me? They might be one of those people who can't hear! I immediately grin. That's probably the problem! Gosh, I'm so smart!

"Don't worry! I'll wipe it off for you!" even if they can't hear me, it's the thought that counts, right?

I marched straight up to the them, and started to rub off the ketchup. Yeah! They probably don't even know there's ketchup on their face.

I stopped. The smile turned into a frown, did I do something wrong?

"What's wrong?" Maybe I scratched them? I looked at my hands, I didn't use the fingernails... Maybe they didn't like getting their face touched? Mom said some people didn't like having their face touched, maybe I should've asked for their permission? "Oh, I'm sorry. I should've asked-" 

A loud laugh erupts from the person, I usually like it when someone laughs (even if they give me a wedgie, it was nice to hear.), but theirs put me off. 

"Um, you have a nice laugh..." A lie. It wasn't all that nice, but I can't say that. Mom would scold me for saying something bad to a person I've just met, especially if it was someone I didn't know. She'd say I was 'too quick to judge'. Not sure what the last word meant, but it must be important. I'll have to talk to Mr. Dictionary again, he knows so many words!

The person just continues laughing, and I nervously do the same. Maybe this was their way of making friends? If it was, it's a really weird method, and I don't think it's working. I'll just bury the plan on telling them with Guppy. I didn't want to make them angry.

I don't think I can stay any longer. They're starting to make me uncomfortable.

"It was nice meeting you, but I-uh...have to go." Honesty is the best policy... right? The laughing stops, a look of confusion on their face that soon turned to snarling. A whimper escapes and I turned to the door, to my surprise, it was locked.

I felt like crying again. "C-can you stop?" the snarling stopped, I thought that would make me feel better, but that scared me even more.

Before I could say anything, they charged and slammed into my side, cutting off whatever I was going to say and started tearing at my flesh with their hands. Oh god, that _hurt!_  
I tried pushing them away, but they had a really tight grip on the left arm, it was so tight that the red stuff was-

The realization hits you in the head. That wasn't ketchup. That was the red drippy thing that comes out of your body. No! They were going to kill me just like Mom would!

_"Stop!"_ they ignored me, and continued ripping off the skin bit by bit. A tear escaped as they reached for the spot just below my eye, they're probably going to rip that off too. There was nothing to do to get out of this. I'm going to die here, in this ugly basement. This thing was going to kill me, if I'm lucky enough, I can go to Heav-

My Train of Thinking crashed when they started screaming. I jumped back and tried not to follow suit. Why were they yelling? 

They were staring at me like I ate their cookies! Why...  
There was another drippy thing that was on their now melting hand. I blinked. Those were my tears? I held a hand up to my face to touch the spot that they grabbed and saw a mix between blood and, of course, what I suspected. Those were my _tears!_ My tears hurt them!

On the bad side, they took this time healing their wound (although it still looked pretty bad), and started to run towards me. On the good side, I now know what to do!

Letting out a scream, I leaped at them and pinned them down, ready to start crying on their face. I'm pretty sure that there was a lot of things that can make me cry, so it won't be a problem! 

Your confidence immediately drops.  
Was I really going to kill someone?

I looked at them from here, they were writhing and gnashing their teeth together, trying to get me. Despite how creepy they were, I didn't want to kill anyone. Maybe there was a better choice? I looked around the room, a few rocks here and there, water leaking from the walls, and the door sealed shut. There wasn't any choice. This person had to die.

The thought alone made a few tears fall from my eyes and onto their face, eliciting a scream from them.

More tears started to make their way onto the person below. They screamed and thrashed around, I held them down. It was hard, but I had _just_ the amount of strength to do it. Come on, just a few more!

I cried, and cried, about a lot of things. Like how Mom wouldn't let me hug her, or when I was all out of toilet paper.

Their face shifted from anger to sadness, gaping at me from what they had left of their now mutated eyes. Sorrow and regret evident, but they still struggled against my grip. They didn't want to die. This racked a sob from me, another few tears falling onto their face, earning another scream from them.

Eventually their face dissolved. The screams got quieter, the thrashing slowly ceased, but I was still crying. More at their absence than their bad intentions. I held both my hands to my face to stop the tears. 

_I killed someone._

It only took a few seconds to get me stumbling to my knees, and ten more to have me puking on the dirty, maggot infested ground.

_I killed a person._

I retched and heaved onto the floor. I killed someone. My hand left my face and hooked onto a rock to help me up, while the other one was held to my mouth in an attempt prevent me from puking again. 

_You murderer!_

I cried again, bowing to their memory despite what happened. 

"You were the bravest, most courageous, and weirdest person I've ever met." you sobbed. 

This was a bad habit of yours, crying over anything and everything. No matter how deadly, weird, or not well known they were, you still cried for them with as much passion when Dad left, or when your pet Guppy died from getting into a fight with the neighbors' dog. "You've died a lonely death, and probably haven't found your favorite teddy bear yet..." Everyone lost their teddy bear at some point, they probably haven't found theirs yet. 

I looked up to see the door, now wide open for me to go through. I have to finish off the speech with the appropriate ending.

"Rest in peace..." I paused, I didn't give them a name. I pondered about the possibilities, Grinner would suit them, but...  
I looked down at the body, more specifically, their face. Grinner would put me off if I had to fight another one, and my tears apparently hurt them. At least, just this one.

Again, I thought about it.

Smiler?  
I shook my head. Too similar. 

Screamer? I cringed at the thought of their moans and groans forged from agony. No, they deserve more respect.

Slammer?  
I winced, too painful. Although I was acknowledging their strength, I didn't want any bad memories coming back every time I thought about them.

They were Brave, and they accepted their defeat with grace. You felt the tears threatening to spill from your face, if I was going to fight more of these, I needed my tears. I needed a name that acknowledges them in a way, so that I won't forget it. It also needs to have an effect on me, so that I can cry when I think about it. 

This really was hard, how can someone find the perfect name? Maybe I'll just choose Grinner...  
"Rest in peace, G-" I stopped, then remembered the way they looked at me before they died. Sadness flitting in their eyes, acceptance present on their face as they readied themselves for death. Their eyes piercing into yours. Haunting, sorrow filled, yet somehow gleeful.

It was then when you thought of the perfect name for them.

"...Gaper."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh wow, this one wouldn't have taken so long if I hadn't re-read it over and over again for any typos. but hey if I didn't it'd be shit lol  
> anyways, i noticed that the BOI fandom was short on fics, so ive decided to add mine to the pile.  
> if anyone even reads this, tell me which one i should do next

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hey hey! Isaac fic, that's unexpected. anyway, constructive criticism is appreciated, feedback as well, and if you're in the BOI fandom, you can suggest what kind of monster I should do next!


End file.
